Lord of the Rings: Burden of the Ring
by H M Palmer
Summary: Continuing on from 'A New Fellowship of the Ring'. The elf Sathien is drawn into the battle for Helm's Deep alongside her fellow, Legolas. Meanwhile the young hobbit Remla attempts to befriend the treacherous Gollum and meets Sathien's former lover.
1. Lead Us to the Black Gate

**_Burden of the Ring _continues on from _The New Fellowship of the Ring_. Read and review :)**

**1 You will lead us to the Black Gate**

Remla looked ahead, her eyes sore from seeing nothing but rocks. They had been walking for days, lost in the twisting paths of Emyn Muil.

They reached a cliff, and Remla looked down, unable to see the bottom.

Sam pulled out his hithlain rope from Galadriel and tied it to the rock.

"It'll 'elp us on the way down." Sam said, tightening the knot.

"I hope so, Sam." Frodo gripped the rope and started descending the cliff.

Sam followed and Remla crouched down, gripping the rope and steadying herself on the cliff face. Her feet scraped against the rock as she slowly put one foot over the other, making her way down.

"Can you see the bottom?" Sam called down to Frodo.

"No! Don't look down, just keep going!" Frodo called back. Remla looked down, seeing a far drop into white mists. The view made her shake and she gripped the rope tightly, focusing on getting down safely.

Sam's feet slid and he hit the rock, a small wooden box falling out from his pocket.

"Catch it!" Sam shouted. "Catch it, grab it Mr Frodo!"

Frodo reached up and caught the box with one hand, but he slipped and lost his grip on the rope.

"Mr Frodo!" Sam shouted. Remla gasped in fear, seeing Frodo fall down into the mists far below.

"I think I've found the bottom!" Frodo called up. Sam quickly climbed down and hit the ground. Remla followed and found her feet touch the ground and landed in relief.

"Bogs and rope and goodness knows what. It's not natural. None of it." Sam muttered.

Remla looked over at the box Frodo was holding.

"What's in this?" Frodo asked.

"Nothing. Just a bit of seasoning. I thought maybe if we was having a roast chicken one night or something." Sam said quietly.

Remla laughed at the thought of finding a chicken amongst the rocks.

"Roast chicken?" Frodo grinned.

"You never know." Sam shrugged.

"Sam, my dear Sam." Frodo smiled. Remla smiled, looking at the contents of the box, little grains of salt and herbs.

"It's very special, that." Sam smiled. "It's the best salt in all the Shire."

At the mention of home, Remla looked away, remembering the taste of the ale, the green grass, the Green Dragon. The home that seemed so far away, so long ago.

"It is special." Frodo said after a moment's silence. "It's a little bit of home."

Remla looked down as Frodo walked past her, his shoulder brushing against her as he walked up to Sam's rope. Remla frowned, wondering why Frodo never talked to her. Why was he ignoring her?

"We can't leave this here for someone to follow us down." Frodo said.

"Who's gonna follow us down 'ere Mr Frodo?" Sam asked. "It's a shame really. Lady Galadriel gave me that. Real Elvish rope. There's nothing for it. It's one of my knots. Won't come free in a hurry."

"We should just leave it." Remla suggested. The rope had been strong enough to hold all three of them, it was tied well.

Frodo pulled at the rope and suddenly the knot unraveled and it fell before them. Remla looked down at the rope, surprised.

"Real Elvish rope." Frodo smiled, amused.

Then they kept moving. Remla began to tire of the view of nothing but rocks. They kept walking until they finally reached a hill and they stood up high, looking across at the fires of Mordor.

"Mordor. The one place in Middle-earth we don't want to see any closer. It's the one place we're trying to get to. It's just where we can't get. Let's face it, Mr. Frodo, we're lost. I don't think Gandalf meant for us to come this way." Sam sighed.

Remla looked down, recalling the loss of Gandalf with sadness.

"He didn't mean for a lot of things to happen Sam, but they did." Frodo said quietly. He looked out at Mordor then panted and backed away, breathing heavily, frightened.

Remla glanced at him, feeling the strong power of the Ring.

"Mr Frodo?" Sam looked at him. "It's the Ring, isn't it?"

"It's getting heavier." Frodo breathed, clutching the Ring on a chain around his neck. He sat down and Remla lay down her Elvish cloak and pulled out her bag.

"What food have we got left?" Frodo asked. Remla looked around for any more scraps of nice, crispy bacon but she had only lembas which seemed to have been unspoiled by the waters of Anduin.

"Well, let me see." Sam pulled out a package of lembas wrapped in mellorn leaves from his bag. "Oh yes, lovely. Lembas bread. And look! _More_ lembas bread."

Sam smiled, unwrapping the lembas. He broke off a piece and threw some to Frodo, chewing on some himself. Remla pulled out her own lembas, feeling that Frodo and Sam did not particularly enjoy her company. Probably because of the fact that they had expected to both go alone, Remla thought sadly. She started to feel that Galadriel's words had meant nothing.

_It's not like I can be of any help_, Remla thought bitterly. _Me and my glass phial of…water._

"I don't usually hold with foreign food, but this Elvish stuff, it's not bad." Sam smiled.

"Nothing ever dampens your spirits, does it Sam?" Frodo smiled. Sam smiled in return, looking out at the dark rain clouds approaching.

"Those rain clouds might." Sam said quietly.

Remla finished off her lembas, looking at the food left in her bag. Three more pieces. Remla uncovered a small pocket in her bag and buried the lembas in there, being cautious with her food. She actually felt worried that Sam would go looking for lembas to eat, as he seemed to have a huge appetite.

She looked up to see that Frodo and Sam were already walking down the rocks, huddling in their cloaks. Remla sighed and got up, following them slowly.

The rain fell quickly. The hobbits drew their cloaks around them and kept walking. The wind grew colder and Remla shivered as Sam stopped to look around.

"This looks strangely familiar." Sam said.

"It's because we've been here before!" Frodo cried, exasperated. "We're going in circles."

Remla groaned in disappointment, and all this time she thought they were getting closer to the marshes.

"Ah! What's that 'orrid stink? I warrant there's a nasty bog nearby. Can you smell it?" Sam asked, looking out around the misty rocks. Remla couldn't smell anything.

"Yes. I can smell it." Frodo walked over to Sam and his voice dropped to a whisper. "We're not alone."

"Not alone." Remla whispered, looking around them as if expecting something to move in the mists.

"What can we do Mr Frodo?" Sam asked quietly.

"We can wait." Frodo decided, a slight smile on his face.

The hobbits kept walking until they reached the base of a rock wall and Frodo began laying bedding down to sleep. Remla did the same, shivering in the cold. She grabbed some lembas and ate as the sky slowly darkened. Night fell quickly and soon Remla lay down to sleep, exhausted from all the walking, and fearful of what was following them.

"And we wants it!"

Remla jerked awake at the sound of a very unfamiliar voice and saw that Frodo and Sam had been wide awake, pretending to sleep as a thin creature descended at them, reaching for Frodo.

Remla stumbled up in fear and the creature was pulled off the rock by Frodo and Sam. It squealed and struggled, pushing Sam away and struggling out of their grip. Remla stood back, having no idea if she should help or not.

Sam ran at the thin creature but it knocked him back into a rock and pushed Frodo back. Frodo hit the ground and the Ring slid free into view. The creature's eyes widened when it saw the Ring and it leapt at Frodo.

"No!" Remla ran at the creature, drawing out her sword. The creature shrieked as Remla swung the sword and it stepped back, releasing Frodo. Remla kept swinging her sword but the creature jumped away and onto a rock. It jumped down on her and knocked her to the ground.

Remla fell onto the rock, surprised at the creature's reflexes and reached for her sword as the creature jumped at Frodo again.

Sam ran to the creature and grabbed it, lifting it away from Frodo. The creature struggled out of Sam's grip and bit his shoulder. Sam roared and the creature pulled Sam to the ground and tightened him in a death grip, choking him.

Frodo yelled and drew his sword, running at the creature. Remla breathed hard, getting to her feet and sheathing her sword.

"This is Sting. You've seen it before, haven't you…._Gollum_." Frodo said menacingly. Gollum. That was the creature that had been following us since Moria, Remla thought with surprise. And all this time, he had been following us.

"Yessss." Gollum hissed, its voice throaty.

"Release him or I'll cut your throat!" Frodo threatened. Gollum weakened his grip on Sam and Sam was free, getting up and glaring down at Gollum. Gollum began wailing loudly, its voice echoing around the rocks.

Sam pulled out his hithlain rope and angrily fastened it around the creature's neck. Gollum screeched and wailed, a prisoner of the hobbits.

"This'll make sure he doesn't get away." Sam grumbled, pulling Gollum along. They continued walking, no longer in silence as Gollum kept wailing and screeching loudly.

"It burns! It burns us! It freezes! Nasty Elves twisted it. Take it off us!" Gollum wailed, pulling at the rope. Remla looked back at it, the sun slowly rising and casting soft light over the pale creature as it writhed in pain.

"Quiet you!" Sam snapped, pulling at the rope. Gollum wailed and collapsed on the ground, rolling around.

Remla winced at its cries, worried that an Orc would hear them and find them, or that they would be ambushed at any moment.

"It's hopeless! Every Orc in Mordor's going to hear this racket! Let's just tie him up and leave him." Sam said in dismay to Frodo. Remla looked over at Gollum.

"No! That would kill us, kill us!" Gollum wailed.

"It's no more than you deserve!" Sam shouted at it.

"Maybe he does deserve to die." Frodo said quietly. "But now that I see him, I do pity him."

Remla glanced at him. How could he feel pity for this creature? It was evil; it would kill them to get the Ring!

"We be nice to them if they be nice to us. Take it off us. We swears to do what you wants. We swears!" Gollum begged.

"There's no promise you can make that I can trust." Frodo said.

"We swears to serve the master of the preciousss. We will swear on... on the precious!" Gollum coughed, making a throaty sound that sounded like it was saying its own name. Remla watched it in surprise.

"The Ring is treacherous. It will hold you to your word."

"Yes... on the preciousss. On the preciousss." Gollum crawled up to Frodo and looked at him hopefully.

"I don't believe you!" Sam shouted. Gollum backed away in fright, running for a rock and jumping on it.

"Get down! I said, get down!" Sam shouted, jerking the rope hard. Gollum fell back onto the ground, gasping for breath and reaching for its neck in pain.

"Sam!" Frodo shouted.

"He's trying to trick us! We let him go, he'll throttle us in our sleep!" Sam shouted back.

"Not if we keep him tied up." Remla suggested, but the hobbits continued on as if she had not said anything.

"You know the way to Mordor?" Frodo walked over to Gollum and it backed away.

"Yess." Gollum nodded warily.

"You've been there before?"

"Yes."

Frodo reached up and pulled off the rope around Gollum. It looked surprised, yet relieved.

"You will lead us to the Black Gate."

Gollum leaped ahead, running quickly. Remla followed quickly, her feet scraping against the rocks as she followed the creature through the twisting rock walls around them.

Even though she didn't completely trust Gollum, she was grateful that he was going to guide them to the Black Gate, and that they were no longer going to be wandering in circles and getting lost.

"Where'd he go?" Sam shouted. Remla stopped and looked around for the creature. Gollum turned back to look at them and screamed at them, running off.

"Hey! Come back now! Come back! There! What did I tell you? He's run off, the old villain. So much for his promises." Sam shouted, looking at Frodo in anger.

"This way hobbits!" Gollum appeared from behind a rock. "Follow me!"

Remla looked at it warily, but it was helping them, so she followed Gollum as they continued their way out of Emyn Muil.


	2. They're Taking the Hobbits to Isengard

**2 They're taking the hobbits to Isengard**

Sathien breathed softly, pushing herself to run faster even though she had no energy to. The four of them had been pursuing the Uruk Hai for three days, with no rest, no food, focusing only on reaching Merry and Pippin.

"Their pace has quickened." Aragorn commented quietly as he lay on the ground, ear pressed against a rock. "They must have caught our scent. Hurry!"

Aragorn ran ahead and Sathien followed, Legolas and Gimli behind her.

"Come on Gimli!" Legolas shouted back at the Dwarf who was far behind. Sathien glanced back at Gimli who fell down a hill and breathed heavily, stumbling to his feet.

"Three days' and nights' pursuit. No food. No rest. And no sign of our quarry but what bare rock can tell!" Sathien heard Gimli grumble to himself.

She kept running, Aragorn far ahead, Sathien and Legolas behind and Gimli far behind. They ran over rocks and plains, through rain and sun, not stopping for any rest.

During night Sathien felt herself running slowly, desperate for even a moments rest but forcing herself to keep running. She had never been so tired and weak in her life, and being nimble and graceful as an Elf, she felt as worn out as a Dwarf.

Never had she hated the plains of Rohan as she now did. The sight of the endless lands of dry grass and clear skies made her eyes ache.

Legolas occasionally looked back at Gimli to check that he was catching up. Sathien glanced at Legolas. Was he getting too attached to him? Sathien wondered.

"Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall." Aragorn stopped and bent down, picking up an Elvish brooch, the ones Merry and Pippin had been wearing. Sathien stopped to catch her breath, relieved at the moments rest.

"They may yet be alive." Legolas looked at Aragorn.

"They will be." Sathien told them firmly. Even though she had no idea of what was to happen to the hobbits, she could not think of the danger that lay ahead of them.

Aragorn nodded in hope.

"Less than a day ahead of us. Come!" Aragorn ran off. Sathien ran after him, Legolas looking back at Gimli.

"Come, Gimli! We are gaining on them!" Legolas called, running after the others.

Gimli was far behind, panting and running as fast as he could.

"I am wasted on cross-country! We dwarves are natural sprinters! Very dangerous over short distances!" Gimli huffed.

The four of them ran for hours, their clothes ragged and feet sore.

They stopped at a hill that overlooked the plains below that stretched for miles into the distance. More Rohan plains, Sathien thought.

"Rohan. Home of the horse-lords. There is something strange at work here. Some evil gives speed to these creatures, sets its will against us." Aragorn said softly.

Legolas ran ahead to see the plains with his Elf eyes. Sathien followed and saw the Uruks clearly in the distance. They were far ahead, and they travelled at a quick pace as though they knew they were being followed. Aragorn was right, they did catch our scent, Sathien thought bitterly.

"Legolas, Sathien!" Aragorn shouted to them. "What do your Elf eyes see?"

"The Uruks are heading north east." Sathien called back to him, and then suddenly realized where the Uruks were going, the place that had once been home to Saruman who had now become obsessed with finding the Ring. He was now their enemy, and a danger to them all.

"They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!" Legolas shouted.

"Saruman." Aragorn said quietly. They were silent, regarding the fact that Saruman was after the Ring, and he knew that a Halfling had it. Sathien did not want to think of Merry and Pippin reaching the black tower to be tortured for the whereabouts of the Ring.

"We must hurry." Sathien urged.

The four kept running on, across the plains as night fell, a cold wind blew up. Sathien kept running, her only thoughts of moving faster. Endless hours passed and Sathien let her thoughts drift, tiring of running.

"Keep breathing! That's the key! Breathe!" Gimli muttered.

"They run as if the very whips of their masters were behind them." Legolas commented.

"Just as we run for the sake of Merry and Pippin." Sathien muttered.

Yet the four warriors kept running over vast distances, the sun rising as yet another day had passed. The sky was a dark orange red and Legolas looked at it, concern in his eyes.

"A red sun rises. Blood has been spilled this night." Legolas commented quietly, and they kept running.

Finally they reached a hill and Sathien could hear the sound of hooves. Many horses were approaching and they were travelling urgently.

Aragorn ran for cover behind some boulders. Legolas and Sathien followed, Gimli quickly running after them. They sat waiting as an army of horses rode past them, bearing the colours and symbols of Rohan. Sathien relaxed in seeing that they were allies. The silence was now full of the galloping of horses as Aragorn left the cover of rocks and turned to the riders.

"Riders of Rohan!" Aragorn shouted. "What news from the Mark?"

The horses turned and rode at them. Sathien joined Aragorn, watching the riders grow closer. She felt Legolas' hand on her shoulder and turned to look at him in surprise. He had a faint glimmer in his eyes, but she could not tell what emotion he was feeling.

The riders quickly surrounded them in a circle of hundreds of horses and many spears were thrust at them.

Sathien looked around in confusion, these were people of Rohan, did they not recognize them as friends?

A rider rode into the circle, looking down at them. Sathien believed that he was the leader.

"What business do two Elves, a Man and a Dwarf have in the Riddermark?" the rider asked. "Speak quickly!"

Sathien looked at Aragorn. Were they to tell this man of Rohan of their purpose?

"Give me your name, Horsemaster, and I shall give you mine." Gimli spoke. Sathien glanced at him.

The rider got off his horse and walked to the Dwarf. Aragorn placed his hand on Gimli's shoulder.

"I would cut off your head, Dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground." The rider threatened.

Legolas quickly readied his bow and an arrow at the rider.

"You would die before your stroke fell!" Legolas warned. The spears were pushed closer at them. Sathien looked around, tense, and angry at the mistake Gimli had made to insult the rider. Aragorn pushed Legolas' arm down and walked to the rider.

"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn." Aragorn introduced them. "This is Gimli, son of Gloin, Legolas of the Woodland realm, and Sathien of Rivendell. We are friends of Rohan and of Theoden, your King."

The rider looked at them sadly.

"Theoden no longer recognizes friend from foe. Not even his own kin." The rider removed his helmet and the other riders withdrew their spears.

"Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over these lands. My company are those loyal to Rohan. And for that, we are banished. The White Wizard is cunning. He walks here and there, they say, as an old man, hooded and cloaked. And everywhere his spies slip past our nets." The rider looked at Gimli.

"We are no spies. We track a party of Uruk-hai westward across the plain. They've taken two of our friends captive." Aragorn said.

"The Uruks are destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night." The rider looked at them, waiting for their reaction.

"But there were two hobbits. Did you see two hobbits with them?" Gimli cried. Sathien looked away in grief, hoping that Merry and Pippin had escaped during the slaughter. Even now her hope for them was very slim.

"They would be small – only children to your eyes." Aragorn looked at the rider.

"We left none alive. We piled the carcasses and burned them." The rider pointed out at a smoking pile in the distance.

"Dead?" Gimli asked in disbelief.

"I am sorry." The rider nodded painfully. Sathien felt tears in her eyes, but she would not believe it until she saw their bodies herself.

The rider whistled.

"Hasufel! Arod! Edinar!"

Three horses rode up to them.

"May these horses bear you to better fortune than their former masters. Farewell." The rider nodded his farewell and put his helmet back on, getting on his horse.

"Look for your friends. But do not trust to hope, it has forsaken these lands." The rider said quietly, turning to the other riders.

"We ride North!"

The riders of Rohan rode away and it was silent once again. Sathien watched them leave. Aragorn took Hasufel, the brown horse. Legolas and Gimli took Arod, the white horse. Sathien took Edinar, the white and brown horse.

The four of them rode off to the smoking pile in the distance. The horses moved swiftly across the plains and they reached the smoking carcasses quickly. Sathien pulled her horse to a stop and looked around.

She got off Edinar and stroked the horse softly then walked over to the charred corpses of the Uruks they had been pursuing for so long. Gimli used his axe to shift through the remains and stopped to pull out a charred Elven belt.

"It's one of their wee belts." Gimli said softly. Sathien stared in horror, having now seen the proof that Merry and Pippin had been killed. They didn't save them. They failed. _We failed_, Sathien thought in grief, tears in her eyes. _Now not only have we lost Gandalf, but Boromir and now Merry and Pippin, those two dear little hobbits._

"_Hiro hyn hidh_." Legolas spoke sadly, his head bowed.

"_Ab wanath_." Sathien finished sadly. _May they find peace in death._

Aragorn shouted in grief and kicked an Uruk's helmet away, falling to the ground, his head bowed in sadness.

"We failed them." Gimli said sadly.

Sathien felt tears in her eyes, no longer wanting to look at the blackened belt. She wondered if it had been Merry's. Or Pippin's.

"_Avam nwalme._" Legolas told her. _Do not despair_. But Sathien could not help it. They had failed to help the hobbits who had been mistakenly slaughtered by their own allies.

"A hobbit lay here. And the other." Aragorn spoke, feeling the ground and standing up, looking for tracks. Sathien could see marks on the ground, marks from the battle.

"They crawled." Aragorn said, following the tracks across the ground. Sathien, Legolas and Gimli silently followed him.

"Their hands were bound." Aragorn bent down to hold up a broken length of a thick worn rope. "Their bonds were cut. They ran over here. They were followed."

Aragorn started running and Sathien ran after him, anxious to hear of what had happened.

"The tracks lead away from the battle….into Fangorn Forest." Aragorn stopped and before them, a huge, dark and dense forest stretched ahead. Sathien stared in concern and happiness. They were alive! But they had gone into Fangorn. And Sathien had heard tales of the trees of Fangorn.

"Fangorn!" Gimli gasped. "What madness drove them in there?"

Sathien stared up and could only hope the hobbits were still alive. The four of them left their horses behind and entered the forest.


	3. A Great Battle Long Ago

**3 A Great Battle Long Ago**

"See? See? We've lead you out!" Gollum announced. Remla breathed hard and looked up. Gollum was right, it had led them out of Emyn Muil and they were now facing the long marshes to Mordor.

"Hurry hobbitses, hurry." Gollum ushered them out of Emyn Muil and out into the bare land of marshes. Remla looked out far in the distance, seeing the ever fiery presence of Mordor. Every time she looked at it, she realized how immense this quest was. They were to journey so far, and to achieve something that had never been done before, to bring the Ring to Mordor. The land where Sauron lived himself, Remla wondered if he was still there, and wondered if he would attack them.

"Very lucky we find you." Gollum commented. Remla didn't glance at the creature and followed Frodo down the rocky path to the marshes. She heard Gollum say something to Sam but paid no attention.

The four of them wearily reached the marshes and a thin mist enveloped them. Remla shivered at being out in the open again, having felt safe in the secluded rocks of Emyn Muil.

"Whoa!" Sam cried out, his foot splashing into murky water. "It's a bog! He's lead us into a swamp!"

"Swamp, yes, yes." Gollum nodded. "Come Master! We will take you on safe places through the mists."

Remla carefully walked along the soggy ground, feeling wet dirt sink under her feet as she kept her eyes on Gollum, partly relieved that they had found the creature.

"I found it, I did. The way through the marshes. Orcs don't use it. Orcs don't know it. They go round for miles and miles. Come quickly. Swift and quick as shadows we must be." Gollum advised.

Remla just kept following him until her legs grew heavy and she grew weak from lack of food. They had been walking through the marshes with no rest for two days. And yet it seemed as Remla looked out at Mordor that they hadn't moved very far. The marshes just stretched for miles and miles.

The hobbits kept on walking, stumbling forward and watching Gollum warily. Remla noticed how Frodo subconsciously reached up to the Ring occasionally. She began to get worried that the Ring was starting to affect him. She remembered how Sathien had told her in Bree of how the Ring had a dangerous kind of power.

At the thought of Sathien, Remla felt herself weakening. She missed her best friend sorely and she always wondered where she was. Was she dead? What was she doing? Where was she going, now that the Fellowship had broken and they could no longer help Frodo in his quest?

And so in thinking of Sathien, Remla began to regret going with Frodo and Sam. She actually began to regret joining the Fellowship all that time ago. She wanted to go home, her feet stung and were wet with mire and she was bored.

The cliffs of Mordor far in the distance stayed as a constant reminder to her of their perilous goal. And she dreaded what was to come.

"There are dead things!" Sam spoke. "Dead faces in the water!"

Remla turned to look into the murky waters and gasped when she saw lifeless shapes of dead Elves, Men and Orcs, rotting and silent. They almost looked like eerie specters under the water, glowing softly.

"Yes all dead all rotten," Gollum hissed. "Elves and Men and Orcses."

Gollum stopped and turned to look at them.

"A great battle long ago. Come Master! And don't follow the lights." Gollum warned as he continued ahead.

Remla frowned. Lights? She could see no lights other than the flickering torches she saw occasionally, which were probably from the Orcs that patrolled through the Marshes.

Sam slipped and cried out, his feet hitting the water.

"Careful now! Or hobbits go down to join the Dead Ones and light little candles of their own." Gollum warned.

Remla was fearful of the idea of falling into the water and so continued walking, looking away from the dead specters. And she did not see Frodo stumble over to the specter of the Elf Gilgalad who had fallen against Sauron in that great battle, the Great Alliance.

Then she heard a splash, as though someone had fallen into the water.

"Frodo!" Sam cried. Remla turned and saw that Frodo had fallen into the water amongst the specters.

"No!" Gollum cried, running to Frodo and reaching into the water to grab him. Remla ran to them, her feet slipping on the damp ground. Her foot suddenly gave way and she tilted and fell to the side, seeing Gollum pulling Frodo out just as she hit the water herself.

The cold gripped her and she felt her clothes fill with water. Her hair stuck to her face and she threw her eyes open, thrashing her arms to reach for the surface. She had no idea that the water was so deep and so murky. Her mouth was pressed closed and she felt her lungs burning for air, yet she felt so heavy and the surface was too far away.

Then out of the shadows she saw them. The softly glowing ghosts of those long dead, floating up and reaching out to her, faces expressionless and rotten.

Remla felt a cry escape her mouth, muffled under the water, as the foul water rushed into her mouth, she realized she had no more air, she needed to breathe. The ghosts were surrounding her and pulling her deeper. She could no longer see the surface. Where were Frodo and Sam? Did they not notice she had gone?

Remla thought of her friends, the Fellowship, the death of Gandalf, and wondered if she was to join him, and if she was to die in the waters of the Dead Marshes, so far from Mordor.

She felt something grab her arm and pull at her. Another specter, Remla though gloomily, her mind clouding as she couldn't help but pull in a breath of water, filling her lungs and yet she could not help but keep trying to breathe. It was an instinct, to breathe, and yet the water burned in her lungs, tearing at the tissue, yet she needed air and her eyes burned from the water, the specters were all around her now, watching and waiting.

Then she was pulled up and felt herself being lifted out of the water, into the dim light, into the air that she desperately needed. Yet her lungs were full of searing, burning water and her eyes slid shut.

Remla felt a pressure in her throat and felt her lungs expand and the water pour from her mouth. She spluttered and coughed and breathed, sitting up and seeing that she was in the Marshes, Frodo, Sam and Gollum around her.

"Stupid hobbit! You were not to follow the lights!" Gollum snapped.

Remla glared at him.

"Are you alright?" Sam asked.

Remla nodded, noticing that night was falling and wondered how long she had been under the water.

"You saw them didn't you?" Frodo asked her.

"Yes," Remla replied. "I thought I was dead. How long was I under?"

"Not for long," Sam answered. "Gollum helped Mr Frodo, and I helped you. These marshes 'ere are more dangerous than I thought."

"Hobbits, we must hurry, no time." Gollum urged, hurrying ahead.

"Is there to be no rest?" Remla asked groggily, checking her bag and seeing that now all her lembas was soaked and everything else that she had. Was there anything missing…Remla checked through the bag and then reached for her waist. _The Phial of Lanthir, from Galadriel! _

She had it on her belt, the belt that she had been given along with all the other hobbits back in Lorien.

Remla reached for her belt, her fingers reaching her small sword and then she felt the wet glass surface of the phial. She was surprised that it hadn't broken and she pulled it out to inspect it.

"No, no rest!" Gollum cried. "Not much time!"

Remla attached the phial to her belt, feeling weak as she got to her feet. Frodo and Sam were following Gollum and Remla hurried after them, feeling like she was going to collapse from lack of energy.

"Can't we stop for food?" Remla asked after a few hours walking.

"No, must not stop!" Gollum snapped.

Remla sighed, slowly following them and avoiding the water, afraid of the specters she had seen earlier. She wondered how they could live on even though they were dead.

The sky darkened and Remla kept her gaze ahead, at the fiery skies of Mordor.

Her and Frodo's clothes were slowly drying out, and Remla worried of the amount of food they had. Her lembas was ruined. She guessed that Frodo's was too. It was only Sam who had some lembas, and she wondered if they had enough to get to Mordor and back. If we get there, Remla thought.

Suddenly the high pitched screech of a Ringwraith pierced the silence. Remla gasped and looked around, wondering if she had imagined it. The Ringwraiths were supposed to be dead!

"Hide!" Gollum cried, running for the closest bush in the marshland and hiding. The shadows of the night were keeping them well hidden and Remla quickly ran after Gollum, looking around for the approaching Black Rider, splashing through the waters after them.

Frodo cried out and clutched at his shoulder and Sam was attempting to drag him over to where Remla and Gollum were hiding.

Remla scanned the area around them, hoping Frodo and Sam would arrive quickly before the Ringwraith found them.

Sam finally dragged Frodo into the bush and they all waited, breathing hard, and looking around for the Ringwraith.

They heard a screech and a dull thudding. Remla frowned then felt a huge dark shadow swoop over them.

"Wraiths! Wraiths on wings!" Gollum looked pained. Remla stared in horror at the huge flying beast that the Ringwraith rode as it flew across the marshes.

Tense seconds passed as they waited for the Ringwraith to leave.

"I thought they were dead!" Sam whispered.

"Dead? No you cannot kill them, no." Gollum hissed.

The Ringwraith started screeching softly, as though it was calling. Remla glanced around and noticed Frodo was reaching for the Ring in his pocket.

"They are calling for it, they are calling for the Precious!" Gollum whispered.

"No, Mr Frodo." Sam pulled Frodo's hand away from the Ring and they waited, hearing the flapping of the beast as the Ringwraith screamed again before flying into the distance, to some other part of the Marshes.

"Come on hobbits. The Black Gate is very close." Gollum backed out of the bush and Remla crawled after him.

"How close?" Remla asked.

"This way!" Gollum started crawling faster along the marshland. Remla followed him, Frodo and Sam moving quickly behind them.

They continued walking until they came to the base of the tall cliffs that stretched up into Mordor.

Remla stared up in disbelief.

"Up there," Gollum hissed. "_climb_."

Remla glanced at him, scared of the tone in his voice.

"How, Smeagol?" Frodo asked, staring up the dark stone cliff.

_Smeagol?_ Remla frowned. She noticed that Gollum had reacted to that name and a strange expression crossed its face, its eyes seemed to lighten to a brighter blue.

"Smeagol will show you." Gollum smiled, and reached up to the rock, feeling for a thin crack and then began climbing up.

Remla watched until Gollum was halfway up the tall cliff, looking down at them.

"Come on hobbits!" Gollum called. Remla waited for Sam and Frodo to start climbing before gripping the rock herself.

"This isn't safe." Remla spoke, her voice shaking.

"Smeagol help you, hobbitses." Gollum called, its voice echoing around them.

"Oi, Gollum, use the rope!" Sam huffed, pulling the rope from his belt as he gripped onto the rock.

Remla shook, looking down at the marshes in the distance. She started to think that if she slipped even a bit, she would fall to her death. Yet it was the only way into Mordor, the easiest way to the Black Gate.

"Ech!" Gollum cried. "Nasty Elves twisted it!"

"Smeagol, we will fall, we can't hold onto the rock, the rope will help us!" Frodo cried. "You don't want Master to fall, do you?"

Gollum's expression changed, its voice turning throaty.

"No, we do not want Master to fall," Gollum hissed, taking the rope from Sam and quickly scrambling up the rock, scraping small debris down onto the hobbits.

Remla focused on keeping her grip, her fingers clinging tightly to the rock and her feet positioned on the small ledge below. She didn't want to move until Gollum had made the rope secure.

She heard Gollum mumble in pain as he fastened the rope onto a rock at the top. Then she exhaled in relief when the rope fell down and hit her shoulder.

"Climb, hobbits, climb!" Gollum called. "Hurry, they will see, they will see!"

Remla reached for the rope, her cold fingers grabbing it. Above her, she could Frodo and Sam holding the rope, slowly climbing up. Remla sighed and pressed her feet against the rock, using the rope to pull herself up the cliffs to Mordor.


	4. The Trees of Fangorn

**4 The Trees**

"I'm hungry." Gimli spoke as they had been searching through the dark forest of Fangorn. The air was musty and the trees creaked and moved. There was no sign of life, no chirping birds or slight breeze.

Sathien felt uncomfortable, but kept her eyes out for Merry and Pippin, hoping to see their small faces light up when they saw them. She hoped that whatever had been following them had lost track of them.

"The air is so close in here." Gimli commented.

"This forest is old. Very old." Legolas said quietly, looking up at the trees.

Sathien walked away from them, looking around for the hobbits. She felt a hole in the ground and saw some very odd tracks in the dirt, large tracks. She had heard of how the trees acted in Fangorn, but did not know if it was true.

She turned to go back to the others but then found herself lost. Which way had she entered the small clearing she was now in?

"Legolas?" Sathien called, brushing her hair behind her ears. She was not afraid, as she knew Fangorn was no place of evil, but she did not want to end up getting lost.

No one answered, and Sathien grew worried. She walked around the clearing, seeing small beams of sunlight filtering in through the trees around her. She saw a small waterfall and a little pond nearby and stopped to rest. She pulled out some lembas and chewed thoughtfully, purposely keeping her thoughts away from Remla and the others. If she started thinking of them, she would drift into depression, regretting how she had left them and how she had never said goodbye to Remla.

Sathien heard creaking and heard distant shouting. She quickly got up, knowing that it had been Gimli, and quickly ran to the sound, guiding herself across the soft ground, hearing distant voices nearby.

She ran, hearing the voice of Gandalf. Sathien stopped, hesitating. It had to have been a trick. Gandalf was dead; he could not be in the forests of Fangorn. Sathien waited for the voice to stop but he kept speaking.

"I am Saruman," Gandalf said. "Or Saruman as he should have been."

"Gandalf!" Gimli smiled.

Sathien stepped into a clear white light, staring in disbelief at Gandalf standing before Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli. Light shone around Gandalf. He was dressed in flowing white robes with a delicate white staff in his hand. He was no longer Gandalf the Grey. He had returned as Gandalf the White.

"Sathien." Gandalf nodded warmly. Sathien stared at him, open mouthed.

"How can it be?" Sathien cried.

"He has returned." Legolas smiled.

"And now I bring news from Rohan." Gandalf said grimly. "For now, your journey has ended and another begins. We must go to Rohan. Times are troubled, the people are not as they would be. The King is under the influence of Saruman."

"We are to go to Rohan?" Sathien asked.

"Yes. To Edoras." Gandalf decided.

Sathien thought of Merry and Pippin, but guessed that Gandalf had helped them, or Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli would want to be looking for them. She felt so relieved that the hobbits were safe, and hoped to see them again one day, once it was all over.

They all followed Gandalf through Fangorn until they reached the sunlight and exited out of the musty forests into the open fields.

Sathien breathed in relief at being out of the forest and saw their horses awaiting them. Sathien went to Edinar and stroked her horse happily. Then she noticed that they would each have a horse apart from Gandalf. How was he to follow them?

Gandalf suddenly whistled a long high pitch cry and there was an answer. A horse whinnied and Sathien heard soft galloping as a beautiful white horse galloped into view and approached them.

"That is one of the Miras, unless my eyes are cheated by some spell!" Legolas said in awe.

"This is Shadowfax," Gandalf smiled. "He is the Lord of all horses, and has been my friend for many ages."

Sathien stared at the white horse in amazement. She had heard of Shadowfax, but had not known that he was a good friend of Gandalf's. She bowed slightly in the Lord's respect and so with everyone ready, they began to ride to Edoras.

Sathien pulled Edinar to stop and looked out at the weatherbeaten, run down village of Edoras atop of the small hill ahead of them. It looked plain compared to Rivendell, Sathien thought.

"Do not look for welcome here." Gandalf advised and moved Shadowfax onwards. Sathien followed and the four of them galloped to Edoras, across the fields of Rohan, gathering speed until they reached the front gates.

A forceful wind blew at them and a grand green flag floated down from above, landing on the grass and bearing its symbol of a white horse.

Sathien blinked against her hair blowing in her eyes and lead Edinar into the open gates of Edoras.

After getting off Edinar, Sathien looked around at the desolate, silent city of Edoras. The people were grave, dressed in black and staring silently at them as they passed the thatched houses towards the home of the King.

Sathien remembered how Gandalf had mentioned that Saruman had taken control of the King and how troubled the people were. Now seeing how different life was outside the Shire and Rivendell, Sathien decided that she wanted to help these people. She did not care for their children or their futures, but she did want to help them recover from whatever Saruman had done to the village.

"You'll find more cheer in a graveyard." Gimli grumbled. Sathien smiled at his comment as they made their way up the steps to stop in front of the grand doors of the Golden Hall.

"Hand over your weapons. By order of – Grima Wormtongue." The guard spoke as he stepped out from the doors. There were three others accompanying him.

Sathien had heard the dislike in his voice when he had spoke of Grima. She wondered if Grima was Saruman controlling the King, as Gandalf had mentioned.

But she did not want to hand over her weapons to the Men. She glanced at Gandalf who looked undeterred and nodded at them, signaling for them to do as the guard said.

Sathien reached for her weapon, her Thangail sword given to her by Galadriel. She was reluctant to pass it to the Men of Rohan, but had a feeling that it was not to be for long. So she passed over Thangail, smiling at the awed expressions of the guards when they saw it, and her. She handed over her final weapon, the sword she had used at Weathertop.

The others had handed over their weapons as well, but Gandalf had not given over his staff.

"Your staff." The guard glanced at Gandalf's white staff.

"Oh-" Gandalf winced. "You would not part an old man with his walking stick?"

Sathien smiled at Gandalf's actions. She also noticed how he was wearing a grey robe to cover his white ones. She wondered if he had done it on purpose or if it was because he was cold.

The guard nodded in understanding.

The guards opened the doors into the Golden Hall and the four entered the hall, walking silently along. Sathien stared at the King before her, a sickly old man bent over the throne, his skin pale and his eyes milky. A wormy man dressed in black with yellow tinged skin glanced at them approaching.

"The courtesy of your hall has somewhat lessened of late, Theoden King!" Gandalf announced.

The wormy man hissed something unaudible to the King and turned to look at them once again.

"Why have…you come..here Gandalf…Stormcrow?" Theoden wheezed quietly.

Sathien stared in disbelief. How could that man be King? He was sickly and old, and barely able to speak properly. She wondered why the people of Edoras did not dispose of him.

"A just welcome my league." The greasy haired man nodded beside him. Sathien looked at him, the way he crouched over the King as though he was the King. Sathien realized that it was Grima, the one Saruman was controlling. He was controlling the old King.

Grima now stood before Gandalf, glaring slightly at him.

"Be silent! Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth!" Gandalf snapped coldly. Grima visibly reacted. Sathien almost smiled, wondering if Saruman was actually afraid of Gandalf.

Grima then stared wide eyed at Gandalf's staff.

"His staff!" Grima cried. "I told you to take the wizard's staff!"

The guards attacked. Sathien quickly ran forward and slammed a man with her elbow, knocking him onto the ground. A fist swung at her head and Sathien moved aside, using her foot to knock the man's feet out from under him.

Legolas and Aragorn had taken care of the other guards and now the halls were silent once again. Sathien saw Gimli pinning Grima to the ground and smiled at how weak Saruman had become.

Gandalf approached the old King.

"I release you from the spell!" Gandalf thrust his staff forward and bowed his head.

Sathien waited anxiously, keeping her eyes on Grima in case Saruman would attack. Suddenly the King started laughing. Sathien looked at him.

"You have no power here, Gandalf the Grey!" Theoden chuckled. Sathien smiled at the King's mistake. Gandalf threw off his grey robe, a brilliant white light glowing around him as he raised his staff at the frightened old man.

"I draw you Saruman as poison is drawn from a wound!" Gandalf spoke, his staff pointing at the King. Then Sathien saw her own mistake. She had mistaken Grima to be the one Saruman was controlling when it was actually the King himself!

The King shrunk back in his throne from the light glaring in his eyes and the power from Gandalf the White.

"If I go, Theoden dies!" The King hissed, although his voice was now not wheezy, but clear. Sathien had heard the voice before, long go, and realized that Saruman was now speaking through the King.

"You did not kill me, you will not kill him!" Gandalf cried, holding his staff tightly.

"Rohan is mine!" Saruman smiled, even though Sathien doubted he was winning now. Once the King was healed by Gandalf, Saruman would be unable to affect Rohan.

"Be gone!" Gandalf shouted. The King yelled and dove at Gandalf.

"Be gone!" Gandalf raised his staff and the King was thrown back into his throne. He slumped forward and moaned. Sathien exhaled in relief. The King had been freed.

A golden haired woman ran to him with tears in her eyes. The King started to change, his wrinkled face smoothed out and began to colour, his eyes clearing and suddenly a wise, young man sat before them, no longer the wrinkled, poisoned man he had been before.

"Gandalf?" Theoden looked up at the wizard.

"Breathe the free air again, my friend." Gandalf smiled.

Sathien watched as a guard brought forward the King's sword and knelt before him.

"You would remember your strength if you grasped your sword." Gandalf advised.

The King unsheathed his sword and stared at it, free from Saruman's poison after many years. He turned to Grima and his face twisted into hatred.

Sathien watched as the King walked towards Grima. Gimli stepped back and the King slid his sword into Grima's side.

"Ahh!" Grima cried in pain, grabbing at his chest where blood now fell. Sathien stared at him, feeling no pity. Grima had been the one who had controlled Theoden through Saruman. He was the true enemy.

The King withdrew his sword, blood on the tip. Grima stumbled back and was grabbed by the guards, now fully into service of the King and no longer serving Grima.

"Remove him from these Halls!" Theoden cried. The guards pulled Grima away and he was thrown from the doors to roll painfully down the steps and hit the end, weeping and holding his wound.

Theoden walked towards him, his sword ready.

"Your withcraft would have had me crawling on all fours like a beast!" Theoden cried, raising his sword to kill him.

"Send me not from your sight!" Grima pleaded. Sathien began to wonder if slaughtering the man was a good thing.

Aragorn ran forward and stopped Theoden from stabbing Grima.

"No my Lord! Enough blood has been spilled on his account!" Aragorn stated.

He reached out to Grima in sympathy but the man spat on Aragorn's hand and ran into the crowd of people who had gathered to watch the King.

Grima ran through the crowd, cursing and yelling and got on a black horse and started riding out of the gates.

"He's getting away!" Sathien cried, no longer caring if killing Grima was good or not. She ran down the steps and ran to Edinar, ignoring the protests of Gandalf and Aragorn. She guided Edinar out of the gates, her only thoughts on stopping Grima. If Grima was to reach Saruman, he would tell him everything.

And so Sathien urged Edinar forward and followed Grima into the plains of Rohan.


	5. Potatoes

**5 Potatoes**

Remla could no longer feel her numb fingers as she gripped onto the rope and pulled herself up onto the top of the cliff. She had finally made it after hours of climbing, and now she looked at the sight before her.

A massive black gate towered above them; she could hear the distant roars of trolls and could see the Orcs that patrolled the top of the Gate. There seemed to be no way in, it was heavily guarded.

"The Black Gate of Mordor!" Gollum gasped fearfully.

"Oh save us." Sam whispered as the four of them crouched low behind a few rocks, looking down at the endless black stones and fiery skies around them. Remla could almost feel the evil in the air, and the closing presence of Sauron. She looked at Frodo, wondering if the Ring was heavy being so close to its Master.

"Master says to take them to Mordor, so good Smeagol does as Master says so." Gollum said quietly. Remla wondered why he kept calling himself Smeagol, his name was Gollum. Or was it really?

Sam inched across the top of a flat rock, looking around for a way down. Remla didn't feel like going down, she actually preferred being in the Marshes, wandering for hours with hardly any enemies to worry about.

Now here they were, in the lands of Mordor where nothing was safe.

"Sam, no!" Frodo cried. Remla turned to see the rock under Sam break and collapse and Sam went over the cliff and down the stony slope below.

"No!" Remla hissed, looking up at the Black Gate to see if any of the patrolling Orcs had noticed. Then she saw a mass of armored men with pikes marching and chanting towards the Black Gate. They would see Sam! Remla cursed at their folly, not wanting to go closer to see if Sam was okay. She felt safer where she was.

Frodo crawled after Sam and slid down the stony slope.

"Master!" Gollum cried.

"He'll get seen!" Remla snapped. Tense minutes passed and Remla noticed two of the armored men marching over to the slope where Sam and Frodo had gone.

"They've seen them!" Remla whispered fearfully. She didn't want to go down and see if they were safe, she didn't want to move in case any of the other men or Orcs watching from the Black Gate would see her.

She watched the two men walk back into the army and they continued marching to the gate. There was a loud roar from trolls that Remla could not see and she began to fear that they had been seen and that Ringwraiths would fly over the Black Gate and attack them.

She started to think of all kinds of horrible situations where they would get seen and captured. She did not notice that the Black Gate was open and that the men had marched in.

She looked up from her thoughts and saw that the gate was open. It was their chance to go in!

Remla then noticed that Gollum had now gone down the slope and Frodo and Sam were crouched behind a rock below. They were safe.

Remla got ready to slide down the slope when she heard a distant cry from nearby. It sounded like an Orc. Remla felt her pace quicken in fear, Frodo and Sam seemed to not have heard it and it wasn't coming from the Black Gate.

Remla suddenly heard the shout again and slowly turned to look behind her. There was no one there, yet she knew an Orc was shouting. She had been seen.

Remla crawled forward to the slope, hoping to slide down before she was caught when she saw the rope attached to the rock move.

An Orc had found out that they had climbed up and was now climbing up to find them! Remla started to panic and quickly crawled to the rope, staying low in fear.

She reached the rope and looked down, seeing not one but two Orcs climbing tirelessly up the rope. What had taken the hobbits a few hours was only going to take the Orcs a few minutes to climb. One Orc shouted when it saw her and Remla quickly reached for the rope and fumbled to untie the knot. She noticed that the knot had been badly tied by Gollum and wondered how it held all three of them so well. Real Elvish rope, Remla thought.

Her fingers felt weak as she worked at untying the knot. She looked down at the Orcs to see their eyes widen in surprise and that they were now crawling down again. If they were to reach the ground they would alert other patrolling Orcs and they would be captured.

Remla fumbled with the rope but it was stuck and no matter how much she pulled and twisted it, it stayed in that knot. Remla looked down, seeing the Orcs were only a few meters from the ground.

Remla reached for her sword she had used on Weathertop and quickly swung the blade onto the rope. It sliced cleanly through and the rope began to slide off the edge and to he marshes below.

Knowing that it was Elvish rope and that it would be useful, Remla grabbed the end, expecting to feel a tug from the Orcs holding onto it but she felt it was light.

She pulled the rope up and saw that the Orcs had already let go once they had seen her cut the rope and now their bodies lay on the marshes.

Remla waited for them to move, but they were definitely dead. She bundled up the hithlain rope and turned back to see that the Black Gate had closed. In fear, she wondered if the others had left without her but was surprised to see Gollum climb up onto a rock next to her and soon Frodo and Sam had climbed up the stony slope to where she was.

"What happened?" Remla asked.

"Why didn't you come down? We were going to leave," Sam snapped. "we had our chance, but we were waiting for you. Now the gate has closed!"

"It wasn't my fault," Remla snapped. "two Orcs were climbing up the rope you had left!"

Remla threw the rope to Sam.

"I had to cut them loose to save us; we would have been captured if they had climbed up here."

"Sorry." Sam mumbled, looking sheepish.

Gollum noticed them and crawled over to Frodo.

"There's another way, a secret way…a dark way!" Gollum explained.

"Why haven't you spoken of this before?" Sam cried.

"Because Master did not ask." Gollum said, looking at Frodo.

"Are you saying there's another way into Mordor?" Frodo asked.

"Yes," Gollum nodded. "There's a path and then some…stairs. And then a – tunnel."

Remla thought it sounded suspicious, but she knew they had no way of getting into Mordor through the Black Gate now.

"He's up to something." Sam muttered, glaring at Gollum.

Frodo looked hesitant as Gollum began stroking his shoulder. He looked back at the closed Black Gate and turned to Gollum.

"Lead the way Smeagol." Frodo announced.

Remla nodded, hesitant of going where Gollum was leading them as she did not trust him, but she knew there was no other way. They had to follow Gollum.

Sam looked angry with Frodo's decision.

"Good hobbits. Smeagol show you the way," Gollum said happily. "This way, down the cliffs, then around to another way."

"The rope's shorter than it used to be." Remla pointed out, sheathing her sword.

"Nasty Elves twisted it." Gollum commented as Sam began tying the rope around the rock. Once it was tight, the hobbits began their climb down which was much easier than going up. Remla let her hands slide down the rope, expecting the material to chafe and burn her hands but they glided smoothly across the rope and she found herself hit the ground.

"That was faster." Remla smiled. She waited for Sam and Gollum to slide down then Sam pulled the rope and it untied again. Remla wondered why it didn't untie and that she had to cut it.

Sam collected the hithlain and they continued walking along the marshes, following Gollum.

Remla noticed how Frodo glanced at the Orc bodies when they passed them. Sam seemed to not care.

After many hours walking, which to Remla seemed as though time had passed quickly, they reached the edges of the marshes and entered bare lands. She could even hear running water nearby.

"Water!" Remla smiled. She had forgotten how thirsty and hungry she was and she followed Gollum to the sound. Gollum laughed happily.

"Hungry! Tasty fishes, so juicy sweet!" Gollum sang, jumping into the freezing waters and swimming ahead, trying to grab a fish.

Remla smiled at the creature, thinking that Frodo calling it Smeagol was actually having an effect on Gollum. It certainly seemed to have changed.

"Don't go too far ahead Stinker!" Sam snapped at the creature.

"Why do you do that?" Frodo snapped angrily.

Leaving the hobbits to their little argument, Remla went to the river and refilled her water bottle, drinking it until it was empty then refilling it again.

She watched as Gollum tried to catch the slippery fish and began to think of eating cooked fish. She was hungry for some cooked food, as much as she liked lembas; she wouldn't mind eating food that actually had a taste.

"Nothing!" Remla heard Frodo shout. She turned and looked back at Frodo and Sam to see that Frodo was walking angrily away from Sam. She wondered what they were fighting about so she walked over to Sam and glanced at Frodo.

"What happened?"

"It's the Ring." Sam muttered, going after Frodo. Remla frowned then looked around for Gollum.

"Come on…Smeagol!" Remla called. She saw Gollum's happy face with a fish in his mouth as he crawled across the river to her.

Then she went back to Frodo and Sam who were avoiding each other and then they went to find somewhere safe to sleep as the sky grew dark.

After preparing her bedding amongst some rocks, Remla lay down to sleep. Frodo and Sam had been avoiding each other and in doing so, they had each begun to talk to Remla. She was quite surprised that they were actually talking to her.

Sam only seemed to complain about the journey, the Ring and how he missed home. Frodo talked about the journey, Gollum and the others. And Gollum seemed to not say anything, although she had heard him mutter to himself as though he was talking to another person.

It was already night and Remla was beyond tired so she fell asleep under her slightly damp Elvish cloak and hoped morning would arrive soon.

* * *

The harsh sunlight woke Remla up and she noticed that Frodo and Sam had already left somewhere.

"Come on hobbit, Smeagol find food." Gollum smiled at her. Remla frowned and nodded, not bothering to look for Frodo and Sam. She was beginning to not mind Gollum now; he seemed to be tame when he was amongst them.

"What food are you talking about? What are you looking for?" Remla asked the creature as she clipped on her Elvish cloak and swung her bag over her shoulder.

"Smeagol finds tasty meat, young and tender!" Gollum called excitedly, running across the rocks to a small clearing to look at a pair of two brown rabbits eating grass in the sun.

"You want to catch the rabbits?" Remla asked uncertainly. She liked rabbits, but not to eat.

"Yes yes hobbit, Smeagol finds good food." Gollum said, running out into the clearing.

"No, that'll-"

The rabbits fled the creature that ran at them and darted into some bushes to hide.

"See, that's not how you catch rabbits." Remla sighed. She wondered how Gollum survived before he had met them if he couldn't even catch rabbits.

"You have to prepare traps and – and use bait." Remla said, although she had no idea of how to make traps.

"Good hobbit!" Gollum smiled. "Use traps..yess. Traps will catch the tender ones and snap their little necks."

"No!" Remla felt disgusted at snapping bunny necks.

"But we must, we must get food for Master!" Gollum said angrily.

"As you wish." Remla muttered. She tried to think of a way to catch the rabbits and reached for her bag and pulled out a piece of stale, wet bacon leftover from a meal long ago.

Remla threw the bacon to the rabbits, which looked interested and curious in the new food in front of them. So Remla threw a piece of soggy lembas and waited. The rabbits hopped out and sniffed the food.

"Okay, now you run at them. But from behind, okay?" Remla looked at Gollum who looked quite eager to kill them.

"Yes, yes!" Gollum sneaked around the bushes, hiding behind rocks until he was behind the rabbits. They looked so innocent, and so young as they sat there. Remla turned away, hearing their squeals as Gollum caught them and snapped their little necks as he had said he would.

"Look, look see what Smeagol finds!"

Gollum spat the bloody rabbits in front of Frodo who was resting in the sun. Remla joined them, annoyed that the hobbits hadn't said they were going and left her to sleep.

Gollum started laughing and dancing around happily.

"They are young, they are tender, they are nice, yes they are!" Gollum grabbed the rabbits and snapped their bones, tearing his teeth into their bloody fur.

"Eat them! Eat them!"

"Oi!" Sam snatched the rabbits from Gollum. "You'll make him sick, you will! Behaving like that!"

Sam looked down at the rabbits.

"There's only one way to cook a brace of coneys."

Sam began preparing cooking utensils over a small fire that Frodo was making. Remla watched, faintly interested. Sam began skinning and chopping the rabbits, adding a few herbs and then using some of the salt in the small box he had been carrying.

Remla went to fetch some fresh river water which she poured into the soup pot. The water began to boil and Remla helped Sam debone the rabbits even though she hated doing it, and put the coneys into the stew.

Soon the fire was burning brightly and the stew was bubbling with a delicious smell. Sam sat and stirred the stew with a ladle. Remla waited for the stew to cook.

"Now all we need's a few good taters." Sam said thoughtfully.

"Taters?" Gollum looked interested. "What's taters, eh, precious? What's taters eh?"

"Potatoes!" Sam snapped. "Boil em, mash em, stick em in a stew."

Remla heard that and made a little catchy song to herself. She had no idea of how she had thought of it.

"Potatoes!" Remla sang. "Boil em, mash em, stick em in a stew! Potatoes!"

Sam and Gollum looked at her oddly.

Remla looked away and noticed that Frodo had gone.

"Where's Frodo?" Remla cried. Sam got up, alert, and went looking for him.

Gollum stared disdainfully at the stew then started looking for his Master. When they were gone, Remla went to the stew and pulled out her water bottle, tipping out the water and filling it with stew.

Then she began preparing the stew for Frodo and Sam, serving them into little bowls from Sam's bag. Suddenly there was a loud thud that made the stew splash over the sides of the bowl.

Concerned for the others, Remla left the stew and ran to the sound of screaming. She ran to a small hill and stared at the sight. Oliphaunts and dark clothed men were getting shot at by hidden rangers in the bushes. There were screams and cries all around them. Frodo and Sam were backing away from the hill. Remla couldn't see Gollum anywhere.

"Come on!" Frodo stumbled away but Sam was staring at the Oliphaunt.

"Sam!" Frodo cried.

Remla turned to join Frodo when a group of heavily robed men grabbed the hobbit and threw him to the ground.

"No!" Remla cried, unsheathing her sword and running at the men. She heard Sam yell out in protest as he ran at them with his sword too.

A hooded man tried to grab Remla who acted on adrenaline, remembering the battle on Weathertop against a Ringwraith, and so she rolled to the side, swinging her sword up to slash at the man's arm.

She noticed that Frodo and Sam had been grabbed and were struggling to escape.

"Run Remla!" Frodo cried.

The men turned to look at Remla. Her eyes widened in fear, she knew the men were not servants of Sauron, but she didn't want to be captured by them either.

Remla ran for her life, stumbling over the rocks and running to the pot of stew that still boiled. She could hear the men behind her, and they were running a lot faster than her. Just when she felt fingers grab at her cloak, Remla grabbed the pot of stew and flung it into the faces of three of the men.

Their screams filled the air as they clutched their burning skin as hot steam rose from their faces. Horrified, Remla stumbled away, hearing the men shouting angrily.

She could see two of the men running behind her, and now she was so lost she had no idea of where to go.

She quickly grabbed her bag and reached for the water bottle when an arrow pierced the dirt next to her feet. She jumped in surprise, fear clouding her mind. They were shooting at her. They were now trying to kill her!

Remla unfastened the water bottle, feeling rough hands grabbing her and lifting her up. Three of the men had her captured. Remla shouted, throwing the bottle of hot stew in one of their faces.

The man screamed in pain, releasing his grip, the distraction giving Remla enough time to break free and run.

Soon she had run far from them, there were no more arrows firing at her, no more men trying to chase her.

Scared for Frodo and Sam, and worried because she now had no one to lead the way, Remla wandered the plains, looking for Gollum who had escaped.

"Gollum!" Remla called softly, still alert for any of the hooded men. The sky was darkening, night was falling quickly. Remla was so scared for herself and the others.

She had no idea of which direction to go.

Soon she came upon the rocky area where they had slept. She turned the other way and began running, knowing that if she was to continue north, she would be going the right way which Gollum had been leading them.


	6. An Alliance of Elves and Men

**6 An Alliance of Elves and Men**

Sathien could see Grima across the fields in the distance, yelling loudly and looking back at Sathien in fear.

Sathien hurried Edinar forward.

"_Noro lim Edinar!_" Sathien begged. The horse picked up its pace and soon she was not that far from Grima.

The greasy servant of Saruman stared back at her, his expression of complete hatred. Sathien repeated what she had said to Edinar and the horse rode faster until she was opposite Grima.

"An Elf! I hate your kind! Your time is over! My Master will find the Ring and you will fall!" Grima spat.

"_Gurth fuin_!" Sathien cursed at him. She turned Edinar away from Grima and reached for a weapon. Then she realized that her weapons had been taken from the guards in the Golden Hall. She had no weapon to stop Grima.

Yet Sathien knew she was not going to let Grima escape and risk him telling Saruman everything. She drove Edinar forward, the horse snorting in exhaustion.

Sathien galloped fast beside Grima as he kept trying to outrun her. The wind rushed at Sathien's face as they sped across the open fields.

She quickly tried to think of a way to stop Grima. She pulled at Edinar's reins and guided the tired horse closer to Grima.

The man's eyes widened and he tried to pull the reins to escape as Sathien pushed off from Edinar and launched herself at Grima. She hit the wormy man and knocked him from his horse. The impact when she hit the ground almost knocked her out.

She felt her breath being forced from her body as she rolled to stop any injury. Dazed, she got to her feet, seeing Grima wincing on the ground. The horses had stopped running, confused at having no rider.

Grima cried out and stumbled to his feet. Sathien ran at him, knowing that she was not as weak as Grima and that he could not escape.

She grabbed the man and shoved him to the ground, holding him down.

"Please, I won't return to him, I won't!" Grima pleaded, his eyes full of fear. Sathien glared at him, feeling like she could end his life painfully, but knew that she could not be a murderer.

Grima had not been evil all his life, Sathien could see that. That was why Aragorn had offered him help.

"Please!" Grima begged. "I'll tell you everything!"

"That never works, _girith_," Sathien snapped at him. "I can't let you escape, or you will tell Saruman everything."

"He already knows everything!" Grima hissed. "He has his plans for war!"

And quicker than she could react, Grima unsheathed a dagger from his robes and buried it into her arm.

Sathien cried out in pain, feeling the cold metal tear into her flesh. She recoiled from Grima who withdrew the dagger and raised it to stab her again.

Defenseless on the ground, Sathien could feel her blood draining from her through her fingers. She desperately thought of any Elven power she could use, but knew that such power was only in the region of the Elves.

Suddenly Edinar whinnied and kicked out his front hooves, sending Grima flying to the side, dropping his dagger. Grima lay a few feet away, rolling in pain and howling.

Sathien stumbled to her feet and looked down at the man. She could see the dagger in the ground, she knew that he had stabbed her and tried to kill her, yet she could not kill him.

She didn't feel like a warrior. She knew Gimli or Legolas could have done so.

Sathien got onto Edinar, stroking the horse softly and rode away from Grima, letting him whimper in pain, lost in the fields of Rohan.

It had taken many hours for Sathien to ride back, as she had lost her way, being unfamiliar with Rohan.

Finally she could see Edoras in the distance, and rode into the gates. She frowned, seeing that the city was completely empty. There were no people gathering outside their houses, no guards standing outside the Golden Hall. Sathien got off Edinar and looked around.

"Legolas? Aragorn?" Sathien called.

She walked up to the doors of the Golden Hall and pushed them open, seeing an empty hall. Then she knew that everyone in the city had gone. Not even King Theoden was there.

But where had they all gone?

Sathien wandered around, completely lost when she heard the laughing of a young boy. He was sitting on the bed of the King, smiling to himself.

When he saw Sathien, he gasped and got to his feet.

"What are you doing in here?" Sathien asked.

"Um," the boy ran for the door.

"Wait!" Sathien snapped. "Where has everyone gone? Where is Aragorn, Theoden and Legolas?"

"They went to Helm's Deep," the boy answered quickly. "The King said it's the only safe place to go. But I don't believe him. I want to stay here. This is my home!"

"Where is Helm's Deep?" Sathien asked.

The boy shrugged.

"You can show me the way, come on." Sathien pulled the boy over to Edinar as he cursed and struggled.

"Listen, I'm not going to apologize or anything, but this is urgent," Sathien said. "you know that Edoras is going to be attacked as well as Helm's Deep. Saruman did say that Rohan was his, and he's going to try hard to do that. So just tell me the way to go, or stay here."

The boy stared at her, shocked.

"I- I do know the way Lady Elf!" the boy cried, bursting into tears. "I was only joking! I did not mean to offend you at all! Please, have mercy!"

"What is your name?" Sathien sighed, putting the boy on Edinar and getting on the horse herself.

While searching through the Golden Hall, she had not found any weapons, not even Thangail. She guessed that Aragorn or Legolas had it with them as they were on their way to Helm's Deep.

"I am Ardonir." The boy murmured. "What is your name, Lady Elf?"

"Sathien." Sathien answered. The boy's eyes widened in surprise and he started to choke.

Sathien drove Edinar forward and they rode out of Edoras, the boy pointing with his hand of the direction to go.

"It'll be faster on a horse," Ardonir smiled. "especially an Elf horse."

Sathien sighed, wondering what Rohan boys even knew about Elves.

Many hours had passed until Sathien and Ardonir finally saw the structure of Helm's Deep, nestled under the mountains.

Adjusting the bandages she had tied around her wound, Sathien rode Edinar down the hill and closer to Helm's Deep.

The icy wind whipped at her face as she turned Edinar to ride up the slope towards the gates into Helm's Deep. She heard shouting from above and the gates creaked open. Edinar galloped inside and they were surrounded by talking refugees, muttering about Elves and frowning.

"Sathien!"

Sathien heard a familiar voice in the crowd and got off Edinar, seeing Gimli pushing past a young woman.

"Sathien! We thought you had been captured! We were so worried!" Gimli cried, embracing her. "I'm so glad you're back!"

"Thanks Gimli." Sathien smiled; a bit overwhelmed by all the attention she was getting from the people of Rohan.

"Sathien!"

Legolas walked over to them, a smile on his face.

"I'm back," Sathien smiled. Then she noticed the grim expressions on their faces. Gimli looked down at the ground.

"Where's Aragorn?" Sathien asked.

"He – fell." Gimli sniffed.

"What? Fell? What happened?" Sathien was shocked.

"We were attacked by Wargs on our journey here," Legolas explained. "Aragorn fell from a cliff."

"What?" Sathien cried, glancing at Gimli in disbelief. She had never expected Aragorn to have died. She still couldn't believe it and felt tears in her eyes, the first time she had cried since her relationship with Feredir had ended.

"He can't be dead, he could have survived!" Sathien protested. She felt folly, crying in front of the people who were staring sympathetically at her. But Sathien no longer cared, she did not care if she was not acting like a proper Elf, she sorely missed Aragorn and it was hard for her knowing that he was never to return, that she would never see him again.

She couldn't even remember the last thing she had said to him.

"Come inside," Legolas took Sathien's shoulder and guided her up the steps.

"Hey, what about me?" Ardonir piped up. Sathien looked at him, suddenly remembering he was there.

"Ardonir? Is that you?" a woman cried out.

"Mother!" Ardonir ran to her and they embraced, laughing and crying.

Sathien followed Legolas and Gimli into the Keep of Helm's Deep, where she was cared for by one of the men, her wound cleaned and bandaged.

* * *

Time seemed to pass quickly as she ached from the loss of Aragorn that had come so swiftly. She explained to Legolas and Gimli of what had happened with Grima, and how she had failed them.

During her time at Helm's Deep, Sathien slowly recovered from Aragorn's death as the people started preparing for battle, gathering weapons to defend themselves from any attack of Saruman's.

One morning Sathien awoke to hear the voice of Aragorn. She thought she had been imagining it and quickly dressed and ran out of the Keep to see Aragorn talking to Legolas. He was wounded, a pained expression on his face. She saw Legolas pass the Evenstar to Aragorn and she stared in disbelief.

For many days she had thought Aragorn to be dead, and to see him standing before her alive made her happier than she had ever been. She almost surprised herself at how overjoyed she was, how attached she had become to Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, and that the thought of one of them dying had affected her greatly.

"Aragorn!" Sathien gasped, running to him and embracing him. She felt embarrassed, but she was not going to hide her emotions as she had used to.

"_Mae govannen._" Aragorn smiled, but his expression was still grave.

"What is it?" Sathien asked.

"I need to speak with the King." Aragorn said quietly, walking to the doors of the Keep. Sathien glanced at Legolas who followed Aragorn. Knowing that it was something dangerous, Sathien went back to her room, pondering what had occurred and what was to happen.

An announcement of war had started. As Sathien passed through the crowds of frightened people, she saw guards passing chain mail armour to young boys, and heavy swords to frail old men.

The war was starting; Saruman knew they were hiding at Helm's Deep. Sathien took a deep breath and went to prepare for the coming battle.

She passed Gimli who looked angry.

"Ten thousand Uruk Hai will be here by nightfall." Gimli grumbled.

"Ten thousand?" Sathien gasped. She looked around at all the people gathering to collect weapons and armour. She guessed that there were not even one thousand men to fight. They were horribly outnumbered. There was no hope.

Gimli merely nodded and went to get his armour. With despair and dread at the approaching war, Sathien went to collect her chain mail armour.

She slid the chain mail over her weathered clothes, attaching it securely. She gripped the scabbard of Thangail, proud to have her gift from Galadriel with her once more and attached it to her Elven belt.

She pulled on the chest plate and finally secured all of the Rohan armour she now wore. She felt slightly uncomfortable wearing men's armour and at how heavy the chain mail seemed to be.

She left the armoury and saw all the women and children being ushered into the caves in the mountains. She saw the blonde haired woman from the Golden Hall following them.

Staring at the sight, the pitiful faces of the depressed men around her, she could only think that it was to be their doom.

The young boys had tears in their eyes; the old men trembled when they held their swords. Sathien could hardly believe it. Many of them had never fought in their life, never experienced a deadly battle.

She could feel the troubled gazes of the people on her, she knew they doubted her, as she was the only female to be fighting. An old man glared at her as she passed him and she was disgusted by the respect of the people. She was an Elf, yet she could see that many of them thought that she was to be in the caves, hiding like an old woman.

I can fight, Sathien told herself, looking away.

Suddenly a loud horn blew from outside the secure stone walls. Sathien frowned, remembering the sound from long ago. It was no Orc horn, and Sathien ran to the gates, staring in surprise as they opened to reveal hundreds of armoured Elves entering Helm's Deep.

It was a breathtaking sight and Sathien watched as they stood side by side, ready for war. She noticed blonde hair and saw Haldir of Lorien, standing before them.

"What is this?" King Theoden asked, looking astounded. "How is this possible?"

Sathien smiled proudly, the Elves had come to help them in the war. She ran over and bowed to Haldir, overjoyed to see him.

"I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell. There was once an alliance of Elves and Men, long ago, we fought and died together," Haldir smiled. "we come here to honour that allegiance."

Aragorn smiled and embraced Haldir.

Legolas stood behind Haldir, proud to be amongst his kin. Sathien smiled at him and stood beside him, facing the awed men, feeling hope for the oncoming battle.

"We are proud to fight alongside Men once more." Haldir smiled.


	7. Osgiliath

**7 Osgiliath**

Lost and confused, Remla kept running. Her legs felt heavy and she ran at any sound, but she kept her focus ahead, a plan forming in her mind to save Frodo and Sam from the men.

She had her dagger, an empty water bottle and soggy lembas. Oh and the phial, Remla added. She had almost forgotten about it, but it was starting to find it useless to her.

The sun was rising and she was starting to feel more comfortable running through the open fields. Ahead of her, the trees thinned out and she found herself on a hill, looking over at the cliffs of Mordor and a smoking city joined by a river that ran through it. She could see mountains and a forest ahead of her.

Curious, Remla started to run down the hill, sliding on the dirt. Her feet slipped and suddenly her feet were in the air, and she was sliding and rolling down the hill.

She stopped painfully at the bottom, her clothes dirty. Remla got to her feet, scrubbing away at the dirt and kept moving.

She did not want to stop for long as she knew that any of the men could be nearby. She hoped she would come across Frodo and Sam as she guessed that the men lived in the city and were taking the hobbits there.

Remla kept running and soon she found herself close to the city. She could hear yelling and the sounds of battle. Remla hid behind a rock and looked over at the weathered stone city, seeing men firing arrows at Orcs as a battle raged on.

Curious to know if Frodo and Sam were there, Remla crept closer.

"Come on, quickly!"

Remla gasped as a man approached her, waving his sword urgently. But she knew the man was no enemy and did as he said, following him into the barren city.

"What's the situation?" Remla asked, trying to sound like she wasn't a spy. The man who had spoke to her looked quite young, and he glanced down at her, showing no sign of suspicion.

"Osgiliath is going to be overrun; the Orcs have taken the Eastern Shore." The man snapped.

"Overrun?" Remla gasped.

"Yes, we have less than 500 men; we need all the help we can get!" the man lead Remla into a small room as the battle continued outside.

Remla wondered what Gondor was, but knew that she was close to Mordor. She knew that Frodo and Sam would be heading this way. She wondered where Gollum was, and began to think he had been captured too.

"Here," the man passed her a large armour plate which was huge on her.

"Don't you know who I am? I am no warrior!" Remla protested.

"I know, you are a Halfling from the Shire," the man shrugged. "as I said, we need all the help we can get. We do not want Osgiliath to fall. And judging by your Elven cloak, you have seen war."

"Yes I have." Remla answered quietly, securing the armour on her. It was a bit big, but it fitted and would give her more protection.

The man passed her a long sword that she could barely hold, and a big helmet that slipped over her head and made it harder for her to see around her.

"Quickly now." The man hissed.

"What is your name?" Remla asked politely.

"Feredir." The man replied, readying his bow and firing up at an Orc. Remla stood still in shock. _Feredir_? She remembered how Sathien had mentioned an Elf named Feredir who she had been with. This could not be him!

Remla shook her head in disbelief. Unless Sathien had lied to her and Feredir had been no Elf, but a man. But how could that have happened?

She heard a man scream nearby and gathered her strength, running out into the battle. She saw an Orc and ran at it, swinging her heavy sword and missing it. The Orc seemed to toy with her, jumping out of her way and sneering.

Then it yelped as an arrow pierced its head and it collapsed to the ground. Remla glanced around; fearful of everything that was happening around her. Never had she been in a huge battle before, there were men dying around her, Orcs shouting and arrows flying through the air.

Remla stumbled back when an Orc dropped dead in front of her, its throat slashed open by one of the Gondor men.

Suddenly afraid, Remla ran to a pillar and hid, dropping her sword and shaking at the war around her. She was afraid of dying, afraid of getting hit by an arrow or stabbed by an Orc. She knew she was no warrior and she had felt stronger with the Fellowship, with her friends beside her. Now she had no one, she was alone and lost in a battle she wasn't even supposed to be in.

Feredir ran over to her.

"Come on, we are holding them back for now."

"Do you know Sathien?" Remla blurted. Feredir's face suddenly twisted into a guilty, shocked expression.

"How do you know her?"

"She told me of you, but she said you were an Elf!"

"No, alas, I am no Elf. We met when I traveled to Rivendell, long ago," Feredir explained. "but it is not allowed, love between an Elf and a man. And I lived so far away, I was always in war. So we ended it."

"Oh." Remla said softly. She did not know what to say. She was angry at Sathien for lying about it, but understood why she had to.

And as the war continued around them, Remla realized how folly it all was, them discussing past relationships while men were dying and they were doing nothing. Feredir seemed to realize it too and together they charged into battle, fighting off Orcs.

Remla felt more confident with Feredir beside her.

She let Feredir kill most of the Orcs and the battle was starting to go to their favour when suddenly flaming arrows filled the air. Remla cried out and ran for cover as Orc archers began pelting the city with flaming arrows.

Two barely missed her as she hid behind a pillar, hearing men scream as they were pierced and caught on fire. She could smell burning metal and flesh and looked away.

The flaming arrows ceased and she could hear the Gondor men returning fire, firing their own arrows at the Orcs.

Remla waited, hearing the Orcs scream as they were hit by arrows and the air was silent. She wondered if it was all over.

"Watch out!"

Men screamed and Remla heard a huge explosion, and the ground shook as a building fell apart, huge stones littering the ground. She looked out from behind the pillar to see that a huge boulder had smashed into a stone house, thrown by a catapult. She could hear flames roaring around her, thick black smoke spiraling into the air.

She heard more screaming and saw another rock flying through the air to hit a building behind her.

Afraid of getting hit, Remla stumbled away as another rock flew over her head and crashed into the building she was standing near. Remla cried out, running away from the building that fell apart, the stones crashing all around her.

She looked around for Feredir, suddenly afraid.

Another building fell to pieces, destroyed by another rock. Osgiliath was being destroyed. Remla stumbled away to hide, flaming arrows filling the air again as more rocks flew through the air and knocked buildings into pieces.

A rock crashed into the building above her and Remla had no time to react as the pillar she was leaning against fell apart and she fell back, the building crumbling apart around her, dust filtering into her eyes, the ground shaking as she was thrown to the ground.

Remla awoke when she heard the piercing cry of a Ringwraith. She gasped and got to her feet, seeing that she had been laying a few meters away from the building that had fallen apart.

A huge shadow passed over her and she looked up to see the Ringwraith on its huge beast flying overhead, grabbing archers with its claws and throwing them to their deaths. The beast roared and the Ringwraith screeched, a body falling to the ground beside her.

Remla ran away from its view, hearing a man yelling from a distance.

"Nazgul!"

She ran to another building, and realized that the rocks and flaming arrows had stopped.

She ran to an Orc and picked up a rock, throwing it at its head. The rock cut a deep gash into its head and the Orc dropped to the ground, unconscious.

Remla stood above it, pulling out her small sword and stabbing the Orc, black blood spraying over her hands.

"Take cover!" Remla heard the man shout.

As she fought for her life, Remla began to wonder if she had made the right choice, approaching the city of Osgiliath.


	8. Battle of Helms Deep

**8 The Battle of Helms Deep**

Night had fallen and they were all standing at their posts, seeing the Uruks marching towards them from a distance, holding flaming torches and chanting.

Sathien stood on the wall, close to Aragorn and Legolas. She was no use with a bow, but she was going to use Thangail proudly and would not hesitate to cut down any Uruks that could somehow reach her.

The Elves were good archers, so they stood on the wall. Many of them were also below, behind the wall. The Men were stationed around the Keep and at the front gate, ready to hold off any Uruks that were to try and break through.

Sathien held her breath, waiting. The Uruks grew closer. Sathien looked around at all the grave faces of the Men, the expressionless faces of the Elves and wondered what they were thinking. She could see that the Men were terrified, knowing that it was to be their deaths. The old men and young boys would not last very long in the heat of battle, and most of their Rohan force was elderly Men. Very few had fought in their lives.

Sathien turned her attention to the advancing Uruks. There was a rumble of thunder and a startling flash of lightning. Rain fell from the sky, pouring down on them and tinkling against their armour.

Sathien felt her hair grow heavy from the water and blinked against the rain, grabbing a thread from her clothes and tying her hair back. She adjusted her armour, thinking of Aereth and the journey she was on with Frodo and Sam. She was trying to keep her mind off the inevitable war, as she could see they were horribly outnumbered, even with the few thousand Elves that had come to join them.

The Uruks now stood a few metres away from Helm's Deep. One of them roared, raising its curved blade and the thousands of Uruks stopped.

Sathien watched and waited, keeping her mind clear of fear as the Uruks began to pound the ground with their pikes, getting themselves ready for war. They roared and chanted and Sathien could see the effect they were having on the young men. They looked terrified, as though they wanted to run for their lives.

The Elves swiftly pulled out their bows and readied their arrows as the Men awkwardly knocked arrows into their bows and aimed. Sathien looked down at the Uruks, who seemed to look very confident.

"_Ah eruchin, u dano i faelas a hyn_," Aragorn shouted. "_an uben tanatha le faeles_!"

_Show no mercy for you shall receive none_. Sathien knew she would never show mercy to the foul servants of Saruman. She would never hesitate to kill.

An old man suddenly loosened his grip on his bow and the arrow flew into the neck of an Uruk. The Uruks were silent, staring down at the Uruk that had fallen. Then they roared in anger, slamming their pikes faster.

"_Dartho_!" Aragorn shouted. The old man looked horrified at his mistake, Sathien could see him shaking. The Uruks roared and the leader that stood on a rock, raised his sword and shouted.

The Uruks ran at the wall. The war had begun.

Sathien stood back from the archers, giving them room to fire.

"_Tangado a chadad_!" Aragorn shouted, raising his arm. The Elves readied their aim.

"_Faeg I varv din na lanc a nu ranc._" Legolas advised.

Sathien had known that the neck and arms were the Uruks weakness in their armour and saw that some of the Men looked more confident with Legolas' advice.

"_Leithio I philinn_!" Aragorn shouted, lowering his arm. The Elves released their arrows, hundreds of Uruks dropping to the ground. They kept running as the Elves drew arrows again and continued firing.

"Did they hit anything?" Sathien heard Gimli ask.

"Fire!" someone shouted from the Keep. The Men released their arrows, killing several Uruks. Sathien could see the Uruks readying their own crossbows, firing up at the Elves.

Sathien dodged one and saw it hit an Elf and he screamed in pain, falling to his death.

"_Tangado I philinn_!" Aragorn shouted, raising his arm. The Elves behind the wall fired up into the air, raining arrows down on the Uruks.

"_Pendraith_!" Aragorn warned.

Sathien looked down at the Uruks, seeing that they were preparing ladders and pushing them up against the wall. Ladders suddenly hit the wall, and Uruks were leaping from them.

"Swords! Swords!" Aragorn shouted.

Sathien withdrew Thangail and ran to a ladder that hit the wall close to her. She cut an Uruk that was about to jump at her and shoved the metal ladder with her arm, pushing it off the wall. The Uruks yelped and fell backwards, crushing some Uruks below.

But no matter how many ladders fell, the Uruks pushed more up to replace them.

Sathien ran into battle, swinging her blade and cutting at the necks of the Uruks. She ran to another ladder and pushed it down, crouching to avoid a swing from an Uruk. The Uruk slashed at her neck and Sathien stepped back and stabbed the Uruk, letting it drop to the ground.

Sathien ran to another ladder, exchanging blows with an Uruk before pushing him from the wall to his death. She suddenly felt a sharp pain in her arm and realized that the wound she had gotten from Grima had reopened. She could feel warm blood dripping from her armour, but ignored the pain and pushed down the ladder, watching it fall to the ground below.

She could hear the Elves firing arrows from behind the wall and see the Elves bravely fighting the Uruks that attacked from the ladders. She wondered how Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli were doing.

She heard banging on the gate and turned to see Uruks marching up the bridge holding shields that protected them from spears that were being thrown at them by the Men.

"_Dago hon_!" Sathien shouted, pointing at the Uruks that were smashing at the gate. The Elves turned and began concentrating their firing at the shielded Uruks. She heard Aragorn telling some Elves to do the same.

Many Uruks dropped but they did not stop marching at the gate.

Sathien ran to another ladder and pushed it down. She continued running along the wall, wanting to reach the Uruks at the gate as quick as she could. She ran down the stairs, fighting off a few Uruks.

"Brace the gate!" Theoden shouted. Sathien did her best to hold the gate down, feeling proud to be helping the men of Rohan who looked more confident now that they had an Elf beside them.

"Hold them! Stand fast!" Theoden yelled. Sathien felt the Uruks slam into the gate, the impact driving her back but she ran at it with the men, holding it back as the Uruks hit the gate again.

Suddenly a huge explosion shook the air and the ground shook. Sathien gasped in fear, running up the stairs to see that the wall had been blown open and Uruks were running through, slaughtering the Elves that had fallen from the wall.

Sathien looked around for Aragorn and Legolas, desperately wanting to find them. They had been standing on the wall when it had exploded.

Legolas got to his feet and Sathien ran to him, relief in her eyes. But she still wanted to find Aragorn and Gimli.

"Aragorn!" Gimli shouted, jumping from the wall down to Aragorn who had fallen.

Helm's Deep had been breached, and it had never been before, Sathien thought with fear.

"_Hado I philinn_!" Aragorn shouted, the Elves fired arrows at the Uruks, killing the ones standing around Gimli who had fallen into the water.

"_Herio_!" Aragorn shouted, charging at the Uruks. The Uruks roared and readied their spears as Aragorn and all the Elves that remained ran and attacked. Sathien saw Legolas and Gimli helping and decided to go back to the Keep and help the men.

She ran across the broken wall to the gate, seeing the Uruks banging against it and that the men were weakening.

Sathien stared around at everything that was happening, the amount of Elves that were left were now only a few hundred, and there were barely any men left to fight. They were losing, Sathien realized with dread.

She suddenly felt dazed and looked down at her arm wound which had grown bigger from the strenuous fighting. She could feel her warm blood washing away in the rain. She knew Elves could not die from illness or age, but they were not invincible. They could die from being mortally wounded.

"Aragorn! Pull back to the Keep!" Theoden shouted from above. "Get your men out of there!"

Annoyed that she had not taken care with her wound, Sathien ran to the gate as it smashed open and Uruks attacked.

"_Nan barad, nan barad_!" Sathien heard Aragorn shout to the remaining Elves. "_Haldir! Nan barad_!"

Sathien looked around, seeing Uruks all around her.

Theoden ran to the gate, fighting bravely through. Sathien helped him and gasped when she saw him get stabbed. His men lead Theoden away who winced in pain, stabbing the Uruk back.

"Haldir!" Sathien heard Aragorn shout.

The gate had a large hole in it and now the Uruks were trying to push through, cutting at the men in their way. Sathien watched Theoden be lead to safety and ran forward with the men, cutting at the Uruks with Thangail.

"Hold them!" Theoden shouted. Sathien felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Aragorn, beaten, but alive, as he nodded at her.

"How long do you need?" Aragorn turned to Theoden.

"As long as you can give me!" Theoden shouted back. Aragorn nodded and moved away with Gimli.

Sathien stayed where she was, fighting back the Uruks that stabbed at her with spears through the gate.

"Brace the gate!" Theoden shouted.

She saw Aragorn and Gimli outside the gate, fighting back the Uruks.

"Begin the barricade!" Theoden shouted orders, and Sathien helped the men with the wood.

Men brought forward planks of wood and Sathien helped them to force the Uruks back and hold the gate shut.

"Gimli, Aragorn, get out of there!" Theoden ordered as they placed wood in front of the hole.

Sathien heard ropes flying through the air and heard ladders from above. Men were screaming and dying, and she realized that the Uruks were now bringing ladders to the top of the Keep, holding them securely with ropes.

They had Uruks advancing from the wall, and now the ladders.

"Tell them to pull back. Tell everyone to pull back." Sathien heard Theoden say.

"Pull back! Pull back!" Gamling shouted.

Suddenly the gate was thrown open, no longer able to hold. Sathien stepped away from all the Uruks attacking.

"They've broken through!" Theoden shouted. "The castle is breached! Retreat! Retreat!"

They had broken through the wall, the gate and now they were advancing into the Keep. Knowing that they were too far outnumbered and it was to be their end, Sathien ran back to the Keep, wincing at her wound.

Suddenly she felt a sharp metal pierce into her shoulder and she gasped in shock, feeling an arrow wedged into her back.

She fell to the ground, with no strength to continue.

Sathien lay on the wet stone, feeling her blood flowing from the arrow in her back and the stab wound in her arm. She knew she was not going to live for very long because of her wounds. She knew that not even Legolas, Aragorn or Gimli would know she was wounded.

She looked around her, seeing the bodies of Men and Elves, glassy eyes staring up into the sky. She wondered if she would be found by her friends, her eyes vacant, her body limp and lifeless.

Sathien felt a wave of grief. She knew that Aereth would be saddened sorely by her death, as would Legolas. Sathien gripped Thangail with her hand, feeling the wet metal and feeling like she had failed Galadriel herself.

She could hear the battle around her, and see the Uruks running across the ground, up into the Keep and banging at the entrance.

With no more strength to stay awake, Sathien let herself slip into unconsciousness, and death.


	9. Battle for Middle Earth

**9 The Battle For Middle Earth**

Sathien felt sudden warmth, and wondered if she was dead. She opened her eyes to stare into Legolas'.

"Legolas?" Sathien asked groggily, sitting up, feeling a searing pain in her shoulder.

"Be careful." Legolas rested his hand on her shoulder. Sathien found herself in the Keep, and wondered how they had managed to defeat all the Uruks.

"It's over? What happened?" Sathien asked.

"Gandalf arrived," Legolas answered. "with Eomer and two thousand men, and the trees arrived to handle the last of them."

"Oh," Sathien said softly.

"We thought you were dead," Legolas admitted. "I found your body; you were lying amongst the Uruks outside the Keep. You were breathing very quietly, and you had bled a lot. I took you in here, as the others prepared to leave.

"We are to return to Edoras soon. You have recovered very quickly. Gandalf handled your wounds. I must say that I missed you sorely when I had mistaken you for being dead."

"I could have been." Sathien smiled wryly, relieved that they had made it. They had all survived the battle of Helm's Deep, at the cost of many men and Elves. And Haldir, Sathien remembered.

"Come, we are to go to Isengard." Legolas led Sathien outside where she got on her horse Edinar, happy to see him after so long.

Happy of the victory they had accomplished, Sathien rode out beside Legolas to the hill overlooking the land.

The fiery skies of Mordor were far in the distance. Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli, Eomer, Theoden and Gamling stood beside her.

"The battle for Helm's Deep is over," Gandalf announced. "the battle for Middle Earth is about to begin."

With dread, Sathien looked out at Mordor, thinking of Aereth's journey. She wondered if the hobbits were safe and looked over at Gandalf as he spoke.

"Our hopes now lie with three young hobbits," Gandalf said. "somewhere out there in the wilderness."

And with that, they rode down the hill and onto Isengard to deal with the fate of Saruman.


	10. Old Sewers

**10 The Old Sewer**

For a moment Remla thought she saw Frodo standing on a roof in front of her.

She heard an Orc behind her and quickly spun, stabbing her sword into its stomach. The Orc gurgled and dropped to the ground. Remla felt the familiar burst of adrenaline and felt like killing.

She ran to another Orc, ducked its swing, and dug her sword into its side. She looked up at the roof again and stared. It was Frodo, and he was standing before the Ringwraith, the beast was reaching its claws out to grab him, and yet he stood there, not running away!

"Frodo!" Remla shouted, but her voice was drowned out in the sounds of battle.

She ducked an attack from another Orc and stabbed it in a rush to get to Frodo.

She looked up to see that Sam was running at Frodo and pushed him away from the Ringwraith, the two of them falling down the stairs as the Ringwraith's beast grabbed at them.

Remla heard an arrow being fired and saw the Nazgul's beast screech and draw back. The Ringwraith screamed and flew away.

The sounds of battle had stopped; the city was quiet once more. Remla exhaled in relief and ran to find Frodo and Sam. She stopped when she saw them standing amogst the men, and realized that they were the men who had captured them.

"You know the laws of your father, the laws of your country. If you let them go your life will be fofeit." A man said to the man that slightly resembled Boromir.

He looked down at the hobbits.

"Then let it be forfeit. Release them."

Remla watched as the men let go of Frodo and Sam and she was even happy to see Gollum there, who was now also released.

The man lead Frodo, Sam and Gollum away. Remla followed, no longer afraid of them. She wondered what had happened to Feredir, and if she would see him again.

The battle at Osgiliath had ended, and now the men were working on clearing up the bodies and repairing the damage that had happened.

The man lead them through the water and to an entrance that lead to the sewers. Gollum glanced behind him and saw Remla.

"Ah! Precious!" Gollum cried. Frodo and Sam turned at the sound of Gollum speaking and stared at Remla in surprise.

"Remla!" Sam cried.

"You're alive, you made it!" Frodo smiled, his blue eyes shining.

"I did," Remla smiled.

"Ah, you were the one that burned a few men," the man smiled at her. "with stew. That was quick thinking."

Remla felt herself blushing for some reason, overjoyed to be standing alongside her friends once more.

"This is the old sewer, it runs right under the river through to the edge of the city," the man told them. "you'll find cover in the woods there."

"Captain Faramir, you've shown your quality sir," Sam told him. "your very highest."

"The Shire must really be a great realm, Master Gamgee, where gardeners are held in high honour." Faramir smiled.

Sam looked away, embarrassed.

"What route will you take once you get to the woods?" Faramir asked them.

"Gollum says there is a path near Minas Morgul which climbs up into the mountains." Frodo explained.

"Cirith Ungol?" Faramir looked troubled. He suddenly turned and grabbed Gollum by the throat, shoving him against a pillar.

"Is that its name?" Faramir asked.

"No, no." Gollum whimpered. Faramir tightened his grip.

"Yes!" Gollum hissed.

"Frodo, they say a dark terror dwells within the pass of Minas Morgul," Faramir looked at them urgently. "you cannot go that way."

"It is the only way!" Gollum said. "Master says we must go to Mordor, so we must try."

"I must." Frodo said quietly.

Remla felt uncertain about the way Faramir had reacted about Cirith Ungol.

"Go Frodo," Faramir threw Gollum to the ground. "go with the good will of all Men."

"Thank you." Frodo smiled, walking into the sewers.

Remla followed, nodding a thank you to Faramir. Sam walked behind her as they entered the damp stone sewers.

She looked behind her to see Gollum limping along, weak and mumbling to himself.

Remla saw Sam go over and talk to him, so she continued following Frodo and they left the sewers, stepping out into the morning air, away from the city. For once, Remla felt safe.

"Do you ever think we'll be in stories, Mr Frodo?" Sam spoke. "They'll be saying oh let's hear about Frodo and the Ring. It's one of my favourite stories."

"You missed out on two very important characters," Frodo smiled. "Samwise the Brave and Remla the Loyal."

Remla smiled at the word Frodo had chosen her for. Loyal. Although as she thought about it, she had been loyal. Even when she had escaped the Gondor men, she had gone back to find them. She was staying with them all the way. To the very end.

As Galadriel had foreseen.

"Frodo wouldn't have got far without Sam," Frodo smiled at him, then glanced at Remla. "or Remla."

"Now Mr Frodo, I was beign serious." Sam said.

"So was I." Frodo smiled, and they kept walking.

"Samwise the Brave." Sam sighed. Remla laughed, then noticed that Gollum was no longer with them.

"Gollum?" Remla called. Soon they were shouting and looking around for him. Remla wondered where he had gone. She had seen him leave the sewers, and started to fear that he had gotten lost in the woods.

"This way hobbits!" Gollum called, appearing from behind a tree. "Long ways to go yet! Smeagol will show you. Follow me."

Remla smiled, relieved that he had not gotten lost, and the three of them followed Gollum through the woods, drawing closer to Mordor once again.

**And the journey continues with War of the Ring!**


End file.
